Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to improve the diagnosis of vitamin B12 deficiency and reduce the number of cases misdiagnosed as (a) dementia, (b) chronic fatigue syndrome and (c) psychiatric conditions.

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) published guidance in March 2024 on the diagnosis and management of vitamin B12 deficiency in over 16 year olds. The guidance is available at the following link:

http://nice.org.uk/guidance/ng239

It provides guidance to clinicians on recognising the symptoms of vitamin B12 deficiency, outlines the recommended diagnostic tests that should be carried out if vitamin B12 deficiency is suspected, and provides guidance on how to interpret the results from the diagnostic tests. Clinicians adhering to this guidance will help to minimise the number of B12 deficiency cases misdiagnosed as dementia, chronic fatigue syndrome, psychiatric conditions, or any other health condition.

The NICE’s guidance is informed by clinical expertise, is evidence-based, and represents best practice. Healthcare professionals are expected to pay due regard to NICE guidance, although NICE guidelines are not mandatory and do not supersede the judgement and clinical discretion of clinicians in determining the most appropriate treatment for their patients.

The NICE promotes its guidance via its website, newsletters, and other media. Healthcare professionals are responsible for ensuring that their own clinical knowledge remains up-to-date, and for identifying learning needs as part of their continuing professional development. This should include taking account of new research and developments in guidance, such as that produced by the NICE.